BYU vs. No. 13 Kansas State: How to watch, listen to or stream Saturday’s Big 12 football opener

For BYU: The Cougars went 2-7 in the Big 12 last year and are looking to improve upon that win total in Year 2 in the Power Four conference. They were 2-2 at home in Big 12 games in 2023, beating Texas Tech and Cincinnati and losing to Iowa State and Oklahoma. BYU knocked off Wyoming 34-14 last week in Laramie and has won three straight after losing their final five games of the 2023 season.
BYU will wear its 1996 throwback jerseys to honor that year’s fifth-ranked team that defeated No. 14 Kansas State in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian was BYU’s starting QB on that team. Fans have been asked to wear white clothing to the game.
For Kansas State: The Wildcats were picked to finish second in the Big 12 media poll and have done nothing to dispel that confidence, beating UT-Martin, Tulane and Arizona the past three weeks. The last time they played BYU in the regular season, 1977, the Cougars took a 39-0 win in Provo. Former Utah State head coach Matt Wells visited BYU several times as the Aggies’ head coach and is now KSU’s co-offensive coordinator.
Head coach Chris Klieman is 42-24 in his sixth season at the helm.
The Cougars are 3-0 for the seconds traight year and 11th time in program history. They are averaging 31.0 points on offense and allowing 14.0 points on defense. Junior quarterback Jake Retzlaff won the starting job over Gerry Bohanon when preseason training camp ended and has played well in wins over SIU and Wyoming and adequately in the 18-15 win over SMU. Last week, Retzlaff had 353 yards of total offense at Wyoming and Keelan Marion added a 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
The Cougars’ defense has six sacks for 53 yards (lost), after posting just 10 sacks in 12 games last year. They are giving up just 236.3 yards per game, and averaging 440.3 yards of offense per game.
The Wildcats are trying to get their first 4-0 start to a season in 12 years, matching their start in 2012. They have scored 28 or more points in 11 straight games, and have scored a non-offensive touchdown in each of their first three games this season. Since 2005, K-State has had 62 kickoff and punt return touchdowns, the most in the nation in that stretch.
Running back DJ Giddens has carried the ball 49 times for 324 yards and a touchdown and caught seven passes for 69 yards and a score. Running mate Dylan Edwards has averaged 9.2 yards per carry on 15 attempts. He also returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown.
Avery Johnson, sophomore, Kansas State, quarterback: The long-haired Johnson became the fifth sophomore quarterback, and just the second true sophomore, to start a season opener for KSU since 1990. The dual-threat signal-caller, blossoming into a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate, has completed 64.2% of his passes for 490 yards and six touchdowns. He has also rushed for 187 yards on 28 carries. Last Friday, the Wichita, Kansas, native ran for 110 yards in the 31-7 win over Arizona.
BYU has struggled to stop running quarterbacks the last three seasons, so it will be a long night for the Cougars if they can’t contain the speedy, nifty Johnson.
“They are good, man. They are good. I think they have done a good job all season long. We have known this watching them play throughout Big 12 play last year. That 3-3-5 defense, you have got to be good up front to run that 3-3-5. They are physical and they play hard and they run to the ball. That is one thing that is kind of jumped off the tape. They do not take plays off and they are going to bring it every single time. They are a good defense.” — BYU center Connor Pay
“It is going to be a tough environment. Lot of respect for Kalani Sitake and BYU. It is going to be a heck of an atmosphere and a great test for us. Two weeks ago we were talking about humidity and heat and now we’re talking about being cool and elevated. What a crazy league we’re in.” — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman